Ok, Third and final chapter of this episode. This will be all for a little bit. I have to do some work on designing the Gui-Xing ships so I know what they can what kind of hardware they can hold before I can write the next episode.

Star Trek: Promellian Gap

Lani's Battle

Chapter 3

Stardate: 52178.0

March 6, 2375, Time: 23:16:48

Precisely four hours after going to sleep, Lt. Tega Sevana and Ensign Vi Solari were woke by their cybernetic implants. There was no time to waste on REM sleep.

"I finished replicating a new subspace radio shortly after you fell asleep," Lani announced. "Admiral Dirk Malik left a message for you both.

"Play message," Lt. Tega sent while she chewed on her rations.

A gray bearded man in a red uniform appeared on the screen. "Lt. Sevana, Ensign Solari, good work on that Jem'Hadar ship. We've already dumped the data on the public net. Get what you can from the Breen ship, but when the warp drive is back on line, I want you on the ship ready to move. We've sent the ninth carrier group to rescue you, but it will be a couple days. I agree that the risk is too great to not have you on the move and cloaked as soon as possible, even if it's only warp two. Lt. Commander Andid will contact you when he is almost ready for Warp. We will talk more when you return."

"When is the warp drive estimated to go back on line?" Ensign Vi asked.

"Lt. Commander Andid estimates four hours," Lani replied.

"Then we best get to work," Lt. Tega decided.

They suited up and glided out of the hole in the hull again. Lt. Tega retrieved the bag of toys she left tied at the opening and continued toward the remains of the Breen ship. Several carefully placed shots from a photon grenade launcher stopped the ship from tumbling. The entire top of the ship had been torn off. They descended directly onto the computer and hooked up to it.

"Thirteen seconds," Ensign Vi noted. "They have upgraded their computer security, but it's a derivative of what they used to use. It's tastes frosty."

"The data is encrypted," Lt. Tega noted. "Is that a problem?"

"Not at all," Ensign Vi replied. "We'll transmit the data back to Gui-Xing Prime encrypted and let them work on it. We have enough to do."

They spent two hours scanning the weapon and did a cursory scan of the warp system and shield emitters before Lt. Commander Andid called them.

"Lt. Sevana, Ensign Solari, report," he radioed.

"We are at the Breen wreckage, Commander," Lt. Tega replied.

"Warp drive will be operational in thirty minutes," he announced. "I want you on board by then."

"Acknowledged," Lt. Tega replied. "Vi, help me with my bag of toys."

Fifteen minutes later they launched back to their ship. Ten minutes later the entered the hole in the ship three minutes later they were through the airlock.

"Lani, full gravity, please" Lt. Tega requested. The gravity returned. "Commander, we are back on board."

"Very good," her replied. "We go to warp in thirty seconds."

The ship groaned and shuddered as it picked up speed.

"We're limited to warp three point seven," he informed.

"What about the cloaking device?" Lt. Tega asked. "Will it work?"

"Maybe?" he replied. "Let me give it a try." several seconds passed. "The cloaking device is sort of working," he reported.

"Sort of?" Lt. Tega queried.

"It's badly out of adjustment," he explained. "If someone is far enough away, they probably won't see us. If the two of you could help re-tune the system I think we can make it better."

"Just tell us what you need," she replied.

Minutes later on board Gul Revok's ship the navigator announced: "We are here." and a Keldon class ship, six Jem'Hadar fighters, and a freighter dropped out of warp.

"The Gui-Xing ship is missing!" the tactical officer alerted.

"Have our ships been stripped?" the female changeling asked.

"I'm not detecting any changes since they were originally destroyed, but there is a lot of ionic radiation interference." the tactical officer replied.

"Can you pick up a warp signature?" Revok asked.

The tactical officer examined the area, "There is evidence of recent warp activity, but it's very faint. We will have to do some hunting."

"Have the freighter scoop up the ships while we hunt."

The Keldon orbited the battle site scanning carefully while the old freighter vacuumed the air from it's cargo hold and opened it's big doors. A tractor beam carefully pulled the wrecks into the cargo hold. The big doors closed and the cargo hold began to be repressurized.

"I think I have their trail," the tactical officer reported. "I don't know what the Menthars and Promellians did here, but it's like the fabric of space is still hammered from it. The strength of the warp trail suggests they were going about warp 1.1, but the decay rate suggest about warp 4."

Back on the freighter Ketran walked up to the remains of the Jem'Hadar fighter and opened his tricorder. His face abruptly showed alarm, but it was much too late. He died first in a massive explosion that turned the freighter into a ball of incandescent plasma!

"What was that?" Revok demanded. "Did we get attacked by a cloaked ship?"

"No, the explosion came from within the freighter," the tactical officer replied. "Yield was about ten point three isotons. I'm picking up that much more antimatter in the debris cloud."